Nils van der Linden

Yoav: escaping the plan

Born in Israel, raised in South Africa, a resident of New York, first successful in Denmark, Yoav knows no borders. Nor does his music – combining elements as diverse as acoustic folk and hip-hop – which has seduced people everywhere from Russia and Turkey to Tunisia and Iran.

“It’s like a Risk board,” the 36-year-old musician jokes of his songs’ global penetration which – three years after his international breakthrough – have even caught on in South Africa. That’s largely thanks to a hugely successful 2011 – his second album, ‘A Foolproof Escape Plan’, won a SAMA, ‘We All Are Dancing’ topped the 5FM charts, and he supported Tori Amos and Imogen Heap on their local tours.

Tags foolproof escape plan, sucker punch, where is my mind, yoav

Reviews

John Cleese tells tall tales

Post author By Nils van der Linden
Post date October 24, 2011
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John Cleese has been the disgruntled owner of a dead parrot, a lawyer, overconfident (and ultimately limbless) knight, clueless and belligerent hotelier, TV news reader, civil servant at the Ministry Of Silly Walks, zookeeper, cheese aficionado, Roman Centurion, and fruit-obsessed self-defence instructor.

So it’s easy to forget that, as the actual creator of these characters, the self-described “writer, actor, and tall person” is first and foremost a storyteller.

Tags a fish called wanda, alimony tour, cape town, fawlty towers, john cleese, live, monty python

Interviews Music

The Dirty Skirts turn on the dark

Post author By Nils van der Linden
Post date July 21, 2011
1 Comment on The Dirty Skirts turn on the dark

“Strike the match and light the fire/ whole word burns/ a funeral pyre,” sings Jeremy De Tolly on the lead single from The Dirty Skirts’ new album, ‘Lost In The Fall’. “It’s all gonna burn, it’s all gonna burn”.

Bit of a change then for the band best known for wanting to punch a hole in Saturday night (‘Homewrecker’) and describing dads who don’t dance (‘Daddy Don’t Disco’).

Tags dirty skirts, homewrecker, jeremy de tolly, lost in the fall, strike a match

Interviews Music

The Script are breaking even

Post author By Nils van der Linden
Post date June 2, 2011
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“It’s pretty crazy at the moment,” says The Script’s drummer, Glenn Power, with just a hint of understatement. In the past month he and bandmates Danny O’Donoghue and Mark Sheehan have been as far afield as Australia, The Philippines, the Netherlands, and the United States.

Tags Danny O'Donoghue, Glenn Power, interview, Mark Sheehan, south africa, the script, tour

Interviews Movies

Terry Pheto: snapped up

‘I’ve always had big dreams, but I’ve been blessed beyond my expectations,’ says Terry Pheto, actress, role model, face of L’Oréal and … storyteller?

‘My grandmother was an amazing storyteller and, because we didn’t have TV at home, she would tell stories every night. I would recite them to my friends the next day and I think that’s where my love and passion for storytelling started,’ recounts Terry.

Tags How to Steal 2 Million, l'oreal, terry pheto, tsotsi

Travel

John Hurt explores the human planet

Post author By Nils van der Linden
Post date March 20, 2011
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Humans are the ultimate animals – the most successful species on the planet. From the frozen Arctic to steamy rainforests, from tiny islands in vast oceans to parched deserts, people have found remarkable ways to adapt and survive in the harshest environments imaginable.

These stories of survival are the focus of ‘Human Planet’, an eight-part BBC Earth series following in the footsteps of ‘Planet Earth’ and ‘Life’, that celebrates the challenging relationship between humankind and nature.

Tags bbc, human planet, john hurt

Cars

Audi A7 fills the page

“There is nothing more liberating than a blank piece of paper,” reckon Audi. “It’s the chance to create something original.”

The A7 may not be quite as groundbreaking as the marketers will have you believe. Cynics may (incorrectly) dismiss it as little more than a bigger A5 Sportback. And visually it harks back to the company’s 100 Coupé from the ’70s. But the stylish, sophisticated five-door coupe certainly sees the German manufacturer entering new territory.

Tags audi a7

Music Reviews

U2 rock Cape Town

“I don’t want to go home,” admits a clearly elated Bono as U2’s Cape Town show draws to an end. The feeling — echoed by the capacity crowd — is completely understandable: it’s been a shared evening of rock ‘n roll showmanship, political soapboxing, and surprising intimacy.

For all the size of the show — six days to set up; 204 shipping crates of equipment; 32 000 fasteners for the video screen alone — it’s ultimately about the four men at the middle of the 360-degree stage. This spectacle has soul.

Tags 360 degrees tour, bono, cape town, desmond tutu, the edge, u2, yvonne chaka chaka

Music Reviews

Kanye explores his beautiful dark twisted fantasy

Post author By Nils van der Linden
Post date December 10, 2010
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Kanye West is the Angelina Jolie of hip-hop — his personal life overpowers his career. But unlike the actress — who tries to ignore the whole Brad-Pitt-plus-six-kids thing by playing secret agent, assassin, or 1920s housewife — the rapper actively brings his public persona to work.

Clearly the creation of the man behind such tweets as “If baroque and mod had a car crash… what would that ambulance look like?” and “I love me”, ‘My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy’ amounts to West jumping up and down on a table, shouting: “Yes, I’m a crazy douchebag. But I’ve got feelings too.”

Tags kanye west, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Interviews Music

Watershed survey the road ahead

Post author By Nils van der Linden
Post date December 9, 2010
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Watershed frontman Craig Hinds takes a break from rehearsing for the band’s upcoming summer shows to talk road trips, getting nervous before shows, Jock of the Bushveld, and reimagining ‘Indigo Girl’.

Tags Craig Hinds, Watershed